Warsaw Illinois



This little town of Warsaw played a very negative part in the death of Joseph Smith.

The Masonic Temple was built in 1892 according to the top of the building.  48 years after the death of Joseph and Hyrum. 

This is the newspaper office of the Warsaw Signal.  The editor was a man names Thomas Sharp.  He was constantly picking on the Saints in Nauvoo, and in particular he was driven to bring down Joseph Smith. 

He ran numerous articles against "Ol Joe" as he called him.  He was obsessed with trying to bring down any good that was being done.  He published many articles against the church. 

On June 27th, 1844 Joseph Smith was informed at 9:40 AM that Capt Dunn of the Carthage Greys were being disbanded by order of Gov Ford.  This left only a small contingent to guard Carthage Jail.   Normally troops are marched home by their commanding officer so they are not disposed to acts of lawless violence where the state could be held liable.  That left the Warsaw Militia  under the command of Levi Williams, who Ford knew was an avowed enemy of Joseph Smith, out on the Warsaw Road who was conforming with orders to rendezvous with the Governor at Golden's Point, a glade of trees just west of the prairie half way between Warsaw and Nauvoo. 

At noon Levi Williams receives a dispatch from the Governor near Golden's Point disbanding the company.  As the men begin to return home Thomas Sharp reels on his Bay Horse and incites as many as will go, to Carthage.  He reminds them that Ford is gone to Nauvoo, all the other companies are disbanded with only a small group of men to guard the jail where J.S. is supposed to be protected.   While thus assembled a second courier arrives with a note from Lt. Frank Worrell who was guard at the jail door.  The letter said the time was at hand for the killing, the jail was guarded by eight Carthage Greys with blanks in their arms, and they would offer only a token resistance.  At 4:30 PM the Warsaw Militia now turned mob stops at a creek just outside of Carthage to conceal their identities by smearing gunpowder on their faces.  At 5:16 the deed was done. 

Interesting sign in the right side of the newspaper office window.  The Alternative.  Yes, there was alternatives, there always is.  What is our alternative? 

Looking inside the old printing shop, there are signs of an old printing press.  I am fairly sure it is not the original press from back in the 1840's, but it is an old press that has fallen through the floor as the building decayed.  The back walls are caved in, the second floor where the living quarters were has fallen in too. 

Do you also find it interesting that the town has not cleaned up this old building and that the town leaves the signage in the front windows still there for anyone to see???  I do.  Almost like a silent message as to what they want to say but are silent right now.  Thomas Sharp had a choice. 

This is a rather nice old door handle next door to the printers office.  It must have been rather elegant in its day wouldn't you say. 

After the murders in Carthage, the mob of about 100 plus came to this establishment - it was a tavern back then.  A well known tavern.  It stayed that way for many years.  Now it has been converted into a home.  It was here they raised there mugs of beer and pronounced success in the death of 'Ol Joe and his brother'.

Certainly no place I want to live. 

Warsaw today is a rusty old little town of about 3100 residents.  The town is in decay.  All this part of Illinois is shrinking.  Warsaw has the only high school here right now.  All the kids high school age are bussed to Warsaw for the school.  It is successful from that standpoint.  Nauvoo seems to have the Jr High age, and there are a couple of grade schools around, but not many. 

No one talks much about the 1840's - but there is a feeling still here.  Not imagined, but real to my bones.  It is a little dark and ominous.  Thomas Sharp was successful in listening to the Dark Side.  It was pleasing to his mind and brought him power.  How different is the gospel which spreads 'light and peace'.